In conventional shower-bath arrangements, a bathtub is usually located in an alcove area or stall having a front, a back and a side wall. The shower nozzle is fixed overhead and centrally on the front wall. A shower curtain is provided which slides along a rod and is adapted to close the stall opening when the shower is in use. However, it has been a long standing problem that a shower curtain does not prevent the escape of all water from the shower.
In the prior art, a number of patents have issued with respect to inventions attempting to solve the problem of water escaping around the sides of a shower curtain. For example Canadian Pat. No. 903,954 which issued July 4, 1972 to Ronald J. Sparling discloses an "L" shaped angle iron which may be affixed at the corner of the tub and the front and back wall to deflect water back into the bathtub.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,921 which issued June 12, 1973 to Stephen J. Baumrind discloses a permanent or mobile splash guard which may be installed on the corner of the bathtub. Canadian Pat. No. 1,106,553 which issued Aug. 11, 1981 to Carson W. Masters, discloses a reflector plate which is located on the wall above the corner of the bathtub and is adapted to deflect the water from the shower back to the bathtub.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,807,107 issued May 26, 1931 to L. M. Sternbergh discloses another type of splash guard extending along the wall above the corner of the bathtub.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,014 which issued Sept. 17, 1963 to R. E. Piette; U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,610 which issued May 7, 1974 to Mortensen; U.S. Pat. No. 2,303,502 which issued Dec. 1, 1942 to B. Rous; Canadian Pat. No. 1038557 which issued Sept. 19, 1078 to Waldo Dezura and U.S. Pat. No. 3,895,399 which issued July 22, 1975 to Gary C. Giarrante all disclose means of controlling the shower curtain to seal off the stall in a manner to prevent the escape of water while a person is taking a shower.
The damage caused by water escaping from a bathtub when a person takes a shower is significant. The continued wetting of the floor and wallboard around a bathtub can lead to rotting of the floorboards and the surrounding walls, to discolouration of the floor and wall surfaces, as well as similar damage to the structural and surface components of rooms below the bathroom. Moreover, immediately after the shower, wetting of the bathroom floor may result in a slippery surface which can lead to accidents as the person leaves the shower stall.
It has been observed by the inventor that the primary cause for water escaping from the bathtub during a shower is not splashing directly onto the floor through the openings between the shower curtain and the walls, but instead is caused frequently by water running along the bathtub rim and over the edge of the tub. It has been observed that the water splashing inside the shower stall usually hits the front, back and side walls and then runs down to the rim of the bathtub. In the usual case, the bathtub rim will be flat and the water will collect at the foot of the walls and run around the bathtub rim and past the shower curtain, which is usually tucked inside the bathtub rim. When the water reaches the rim outside the shower curtain, there is no wall to contain it and the water runs down the side of the tub onto the floor.
While some of the prior art patents listed above have disclosed means for preventing water from splashing between the shower curtain and the wall, it is felt that the means suggested do not overcome necessarily the problem described above. Most of the means disclosed in the prior art are directed to the prevention of splashing rather than the prevention of runoff along the bathtub rim. Where the deflectors in the prior art meet the bathtub rim, they are usually located centrally along the top flat surface of the rim. This location generally permits the water to run along the bathtub rim adjacent to the inside surface of the deflector and then to escape over the side of the bathtub after it passes the deflector.
Moreover, the prior art deflector plates may well constitute a safety hazard to a person getting in and out of the bathtub. For example, the shower bath curtain guard disclosed in Canadian Pat. No. 903,954 to Ronald J. Sparling could present a dangerous obstacle to persons, especially children, getting in and out of the bathtub. It would also deal a severe blow to someone who fell against it. Much of the prior art suffers similar deficiencies.